Moistening means for duplicators



l MoIsTENING MEANS F'oR DUPLIcAToRs Filed Feb. s, 195'?- 4 Sheets-Sheet l NPN Nov. 8, 1938. A. MARCHI-:v 2,135,824

MOISTENING MEANS FOR DUPLICATORS Filed Feb. 8, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 s 60a 7 l Y Nov. 8, 1938. A. MARcHEv 2,135,824

MOISTENI'NG MEANS FOR DUPLICATORS Filed Feb. e. 1957 4 sheets-sheet s Nov. 8, 1938. A. MARcHEv 2,135,824

MOISTENING MEANS FOR DUPLICATORS Filed Feb. I8, 1957 4 Sheets-SheetA Patented Nov. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Alfred Marchev, La. Grange, Ill., assignor to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a. corporation of West Virginia Application February 8, 1937, Serial No. 124,713

13 Claims.

The invention relates to moistening means for duplicators and is particularly adapted to be embodied in a duplicating machine of the type wherein the copy sheets are moistened with a.

solvent which will dissolve the ink upon a master sheet, the moistened copy sheets being brought into contact with'the master sheet so that the data printed or written upon the master sheet will be transferred to the copy sheets. A relatively large number of copies may be made in this manner from a single master sheet.

A primary object of the invention is to provide means for supplying a. relatively large amount of solvent quickly to the moistening l5 means when the moistening means are ilrst set `in operation or have become dry for some reason or` other.

One advantage of the improved moistening means is that when it is embodied in a duplicating machine of the kind described, it is unnecessary to waste a number of copy sheets when the machine is first used after it has been standing idle for some time. The improved moistening means insures that the rst copy sheets passing through the machine will be sufficiently moistened to dissolve the ink of the data upon the master sheet. Of course, the ink is dissolved gradually as the copy sheets carry very little solvent.

Other objects and advantages will become ap-= parent as the following detailed description progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away,

of a duplicating machine which embodies the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, certain parts of the apparatus being broken away to illustrate the construction thereof.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on the same line as Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, the reference characters I0 and I I designate generally two side frames which are secured to each other by means including a sheet metal bracket I3 extending between the forward ends of the side frames I0 and (Figs. l and 3). Rotatably journalled between the side frames I!! and II is a hollow duplicating drum I4 having a slot I5 y(Cl. lol- 132) the drum I4.

The master sheet I8 is preferably prepared by placing it upon the carbon side of a carbon sheet and then writing or typewriting upon the exposed surfaceof the master sheet Iso that the 10 data will appearin reverse upon the side contacting the carbon sheet. When the copy sheets are advanced through the improved machine, the surfaces that Willwcome in contact with the reverse Writing or typewriting upon the master 15 sheet are moistened with a solvent for the carbon so that as each copy sheet contacts a master sheet, the carbon will be moistened and the data will be duplicated on the copy sheet.

Co-operating withy the duplicating roller |4 to 20 press the copy sheets against the master sheet I8, is a platen roller 20. Disposed in front of the platen roller 2U is a roller 2| which co-operates with a roller 22 to feed copy sheets to the duplicating drum I4 and platen roller 20. The roller 25 22 is preferably non-absorbent and is mounted on a shaft 23. The roller 2| is also preferably non-absorbent and is mounted on a shaft 2 4. The surface of the roller 2| is preferably provided with a plurality of annular grooves 25 to 30 insure rapid evaporation of any excess solvent which gathers on the surface of the roller 2|. The roller 2| is urged yieldingly against the lroller 22 by means' comprising pivoted levers 21 and springs 28. y 35 vThe improved machine preferably comprises a table 30 upon which a stack of copy sheets may be placed so that the operator may feed them one by one to the rollers 2| and 22. It willbe noted that the end of table 30 adjacent the rollers 2| 40 and 22 is bent upwardly to bring the forward edges of the copy sheets into registry with the rollers. l

A container 33 for holding a supply of solvent is mounted between the forward ends of the side 45 frames I0 and I| and is yprovided with pumps 34 and 34a which are actuatedvby a lever 35 pivoted upon a stub shaft 36 and actuated, in turn, by a lever 31 also pivoted on the shaft 36. One end of the lever 3l engages the bottom sur- 50 face of the lever 35. the other end of the lever 31 being provided with a roller 38 which rides upon a cam 39 which is substantially cylindrical but has a relatively deep notch 40 in its periphery. A spring 4I disposed between the lever 3l and a bracket I2 yieldingly! urges the roller against the periphery of the cam I8 and causes it to drop into the recess or notch ,it whenever the notch comes into registry with the roller. The cam 18 is constrained to rotate vin unison with the duplicating drum Il. Obviously, when the cam 39 rotates through a plurality of revolutions, the lever I1 is displaced angularly by the combined action of the spring Il and the cam 39 so that for each revolution of the cam 39 .the lever 31 rst displacesthe lever 35 in a. clockwise direction (Fig. 1) and then permits it to return to the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 1. The lever 35 actuates the pumps in a manner hereinafter described.

The pumps 34 and 34a are preferably of identical construction and therefore it will only be necessary to scribe the pump 34 in detail. As best shown in Fig. 3, the pump u comprises a cylinder d4 which extends through the container 33 and is provided with a central bore lid having ports 42d through which the bore lid communicateswith thelower portionof the con-`y tainer u. Ports 44 permit the bore lid to communicate with the upper portion of the container 33. Extending into the bore lid froml the upper end thereof is a piston rod having a piston 41 at its lower end. It will be noted that the upper end of the piston rod 46 is slidably journalled in a closure member 50 at the upper end of the bore lid. Extending between the closure member Il and the piston I1 is a compression spring 5i disposed around the piston rod It, the construction being such that the spring ll yieldingly urges the piston I1 toward the bottom of the bore lid, At the lower end of the bore Md and below the container I3, the cylinder d is provided with a port I3 through which the bore lid communicates with a tube 54 which has its outer. end turned upwardly as shown at 55. The turned up end of the tube Il acts as a seat for a ball valve 58 yieidingly urged against the seat by a spring l1. This construction provides a check valve which permits solvent to now from the bore lid through the tube Il but prevents the solvent lfrom returning through the tube Il. The ball valve It is disposed in a housing Si secured to the turned up end of the tube 54. 'I'he housing 5I is connected by a rubber tube I0, or the equivalent, to a horizontally extending pipe Il for a purpose hereinafter described.

As stated above, the pump 84a is substantially identical' in construction with the pump ll and is adapted to discharge solvent through the tube a which corresponds to the tube Il described above. The tube 54a terminates in a check valve lla which is preferably identical with the check valve described in connection with the tube Il.

I'he tube a communicates with a tlexible tube Bla, or the equivalent, through the check valve Ila. The upper end of the exible tube Ila, is con' nected to a metallic tube 1l. Y

Asbest showninFigs.2 and3,thefree endot the lever 35 is provided with a handle portion 1 I whereby the lever may be oscillated manually. Bracket members 12 and 1l riveted to the lever Il intermediate its ends have their forward ends disposed adjacent the upper end of the piston rod 4l and the upper end of the corresponding piston rod "a of the pump 34a. Nuts 15 and 15a at the upper ends of the piston rods Il and 4ta, respectively, are engageable by the forward ends of the bracket members 13 and 12, respectively. Obviously, when the lever 35 is displacedin a clockwise direction (Fig. 3), the pistons 41 will be elevated in the bore lid and the corresponding bore of the pump 34a against the action of the spring 5! and the action of the corresponding spring in. the pump 34a and when the lever 35 returns to the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 3, the spring 5 I and the corresponding spring in the pump 34a will urge the pistons of the two pumps downwardly. When the'pistons are in their uppermost positions, the solvent will flow into the lower ends of the bores in the pumps through the ports 42 and the corresponding ports in the pump 34a. When the spring 5| and the corresponding spring in the pump 34a urge the pistons downwardly, the solvthe upper portion of a container or receptacle disposed adjacent the roller 22, the receptacle iii) being open at its top and being provided with a pivoted closure member Il. The receptacle Il comprises front and back walls $2 and Il, respectively, and a bottom wall Il. Extending through a slot. provided in the back wall Il is a strip or pad of felt the outer end of which is in contact with the lower end of a pad or strip of felt B1 secured to the outer side of the back wall Il by means comprising a plate Il and screws It. The upper and lower ends of the felt strip 81 are beveled as at lll. The purpose of this construction is to permit the felt strip 81 to be reversed when that part of it now-at Vthe bottom becomes worn. The lower end of the strip 01 contacts the roller 22.

The tube 1l to which the ilexible tube Ila is connected, extends into the receptacle Il and terminates in a valve housing iti. A valve device |02 disposed in the housing ill controls the now of solvent from the tube 1II to tubes l and III extending in opposite directions from the valve housing III adjacent the inner end of the felt strip 35, the tubes I and lll being provided with a plurality oi apertures Ill through which solvent may now and drop upon the inner end of the felt strip Il. The receptacle Il, the housing lll, the valve device |02 and the tubes I and III are described in detail in the co-pending application, Serial No. 58,522 nled January l0, 1936, by Stephen Kokay. '111e details of construction of the enumerated parts do not form a part of this invention and therefore need not be described in detail in the present disclosure.

If an excess oi solvent is delivered to the felt strip Il, it flows into the lower portion of the receptacle 8l and out through a nipple |08 which is connected by a nexible tube Ill, to a nipple III extending upwardly from the reservoir 33 and opening into it.

The receptacle I0 is pivotally mounted between the side frames Il and Il by means comprising pins II2 and Il! and more fully shown and described in the co-pending application, Serial No. 58,522. It may be mentioned that a spring ill (Figs. 2 and 8) yieldingly tends to rotate the receptacle Il in a counter-clockwise direction Fixed to and suspended from the tube 6| is a trough ||5 having a curved bottom wall ||6 and end walls H8. The tube 6| extends through the end walls ||8 and is secured thereto so that an-v gular displacement of the tube 6| around its 1ongitudinal axis will be accompanied by similar angular displacement of the trough ||5. The tube 6| is provided with a plurality of apertures |20through which solvent may be discharged from the tube into the trough.

Projecting through one of the walls H8 is a v nipple |22, to the outer end of which one end of a rubber tube |23 is secured, the other end or. the rubber tube |23 being secured to one end of a nipple |25 projecting through one of the end walls of the receptacle 80 (Fig. 5). One end of a rubber tube |21 is secured to the outer end of the nipple |25, the other end of the rubber tube |21 being secured to the outer end of a nipple |29 which projects from the reservoir 33 and communicates therewith. It will be noted that when. the trough ||5 is inthe position wherein itis shown in Fig. 3, the nipple |28 is in a position wherein it permits the trough to become nearly lled with solvent before this solvent will drain through the nipple |22, the tube |23, the nipple |25. the tube |21 and thence through the nipple |20 into the reservoir 33. As the tube |23 is flexible it is obvious that the trough H5 Ymay be tipped from the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 3 to the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 4 so ithat the contents of thetrough will be dumped upon the felt strip 86. The means for tipping the trough ||5 comprises a pin |30 projecting from a collar |3| xed to one end of the tube 6|. Obviously, the operator of the machine may angularly displace the pin |30 to tip the trough ||5 and to return it to the position wherein it is shown in Fig. 3.

Means is preferably provided for controlling the amountV of solvent dumped from the reservoir 33 to the receptacle 80 and the trough H5. 'I'his means comprises an extension |35 on the bracket 12, which extension |35 Carries a roller |36 riding upon a cam |31 xed to a shaft |38 journalled in the side frame I0. At its outer end the shaft |38 is provided with a knob |60 whereby it may be rotated. When the roller |36 and the cam |31 are in the positions wherein they are illustrated in Fig. 3, the lever 35 rests upon one end of the lever 31 whenever the roller'38 is in the notch 60 of the cam 39. This insures that a maximum stroke of the pistons in the pumps 33 and 36a will be obtained during the operation of the machine. However, if the knob |80 is rotated in a clockwise direction (Fig. l) so as to raise the roller |36, the lever 35 will be displaced angularly a corresponding distance so that it will not rest upon the left hand end (Fig. 3) of the lever 31 when the roller 38 is in the notch 60. Obviously, when the machine is operated after such adjustment, the lever 35 will be displaced through a smaller angle during each revolution of the cam 30 and the pumps 34 and 38a will then deliver a smaller quantity of solvent to the receptacle 80 and the trough H5.

It may be mentioned that the valve |02 may be adjusted to deliver unequal quantities of solvent to the pipes |06 and |05 and may also be adjusted to deliver all of the solvent to one of these pipes and none to the other.

As best shown in Fig. 3, an arcuate shield |45 extends between the roller 22 and the duplicating drum Id, the shield being secured to the side frames I and This shield prevents the tail means including a bolt |53 for adjusting the pressure with which the platen roller 20 abuts against the duplicating drum |4.

In the present instance, the improved machine is operated manually and for this purposel is provided with a crank |58 with which a pinion |50 is constrained to rotate. The pinion |53 meshes with a gear |60 with which the duplicating drum I4 is constrained to rotate. rA larger gear |62 constrained to rotate with the duplicating drum |4 meshes with a pinion |63 and the pinion |63 meshes, in turn, with a pinion |64. The shaft 23 to which the roller 22 is fixed is driven by the pinion |64, the pinion |63 being mounted on that shaft. The roller 2| is rotated as a result of its frictional engagement with the roller 22.

The platen roller 20 frictionally engages the duplicating drum I6 and is rotated thereby in synchronism therewith.

The improved duplicating machine operates substantially'as follows: A master sheet |8 is fixed to the duplicating drum by means of the clamping fingers l1; The copy sheets are placed upon the table 30 and while the machine is being driven through the crank |58, the copy sheets are advanced one at a'time to the feed rollers 2| and 22. The feeding of the copy sheets is done each time the roller 38 engages the notch 30 in the cam 30, it being 4very evident to the operator each time the roller 39 drops into the notch 36. AWhen copy sheets are advanced to the feeding rollers 2| and 22 while the roller 38 is resting in the notch 33, the further rotation of the crank |58 will cause the feed rollers 2| and 22 to advance the copy sheet in synchronism With the duplicating drum lli so that the copy sheet will register with the master sheet. During the operation of the machine, solvent is distributedupon the roller 22 by the felt strip 81 which receives the solvenll from the felt strip 8 6. As the copy sheets pass between the rollers 2| and 22, the upper surfaces thereof are covered with a thin i'iln of solvent which dissolves the ink or coloring matter upon the master sheet to a sufficient extent to insure that impressions thereof will appear on the copy sheets. After the machine has been operated for a relatively short period of time, and assuming that the cam |31 has' been adjusted properly to regulate the amount of solvent pumped by the pump 34a, the

pump 33a will deliver a substantially constant quantity of solvent to the tube 10 through the flexible tube 60a, and the valve |02 will distribute it to the tubes |03 and |05 as desired. The solvent will fiow through the apertures |06 and fall upon the felt strip 86 and the felt strip 86 will supply a sufficient quantity of solvent to the felt strip 81 to insure that a suicientquantity of solvent will be supplied to the roller 22 to moisten the 'copy sheets properly. Any excess of solvent delivered to the receptacle 80 by the tube 10 will pass through the felt strip 86 and drain back to the reservoir 33 through the tube |09. Of course, as soon as the machine is in operation and the pump 34a is delivering solvent to the tube 10, the pump 34 will be delivering solvent to the tube 6| and the solvent will accumulate in the trough until it has reached the level permitted by the nipple |22 and the tube |23. After having reached this level, all excess solvent delivered to the trough l5 drains through the nipple |22, the 75 the roller 22 when the machine is again set in operation. lt will be noted that the slot d is somewhat wider than the thickness of the felt strip 86 and therefore when the contents of the trough H5 are dumped onto. the felt strip 86, some of the solvent will flow directly to the felt strip ai through the not es.

the machine has not .been used for some time and the trouglri ii'iis empty, the operator may loscillate thelever^35 before the machine fis set in operation and pump suicient solvent to the receptacle to cause the strips 8o and 8'! to Ibecome properly moistened so that the lower end of the strip' will meisten the roller 22 when 'the machine is set in operation.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention as disclosed in the appended claims, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent 4in my invention as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

I claimt:

.1. In a duplicating machine, means for pressing copy sheets against a master sheet having data imprinted thereon lwith ink, a roller engageable with said copy sheets to apply thereto a solvent for said ink, a receptacle adjacent said roller, fibrous material projecting"'from said re-` ceptacle to deliver solvent to said roller, means for delivering'solvent to said receptacle to supply it to said fibrous material, a second receptacle means for deliveringsolvent to said second receptacle, and means for discharging the contentsN of said second receptacle on said brous material..

2. In a duplicating-machine, .means for pressing copy sheets against a master sheet having data imprinted-.thereon with ink, a roher for mcistening the copy sheets with a solvent for said ink, a receptacle disposed adjacent said roller, fibrous material projecting from said receptacle and engaging said roller to supply the solvent thereto, a second receptacle mounted withinthe first mentioned receptacle, means for discharging the contents oi said secondreeeptacle on said fibrous material, a reservoir` for said solvent, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to the iirst mentioned receptacle to supply solvent to said fibrous material, and means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to said `second receptacle.

3. In a duplicatingmachine, means for pressing copy sheets against a master sheet having data imprinted thereon with ink, a roller for moistening the copy sheets with/a solyent for said ink, a receptacle disposed adjacent said roller, fibrous material projecting from said .receptacle and engaging said roller to suppli7V the solvent thereto, a. second receptacle mounted within .the

rst mentioned receptacle, means for discharging the contents of said second receptacle on. said brous material, a reservoir for said solvent, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to the first mentioned receptacle to supply solvent tosaid fibrous material, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to said second receptacle, and a second roller for pressing said copy sheets against the ilrst mentioned roller.

4. In a duplicating machine, a duplicating drum, means for securing a master sheet to said `drum, a pressure roller co-operatlng with said drum to press copy sheets against said master sheet, a pair of rollers for feeding copy sheets to said duplicating drum and pressure roller, one of said feeding rollers engaging said copy sheets to apply a solvent thereto, a receptacle adjacent said rollers, fibrous material projecting from said receptable and engaging said solvent-applying roller to supply solvent thereon, means for delivering solvent to said receptacle to supply said fibrous material with it, a second receptacle pivotally mounted in the iirst mentioned receptacle, said second receptacle being movable into agposition wherein its contents will be discharged on said fibrous material, and means for delivering solvent to said second receptacle.

- 5. Apparatus for moistening' a sheet of paper,

or the like, said apparatus comprising a roller engageable with the paper, brous material for supplying liquid to the roller, means normally supplying liquid to said brous material and normally keeping the fibrous material saturated with the liquid, and manually controlled auxilliary means for supplying a large quantity of liquid to said brous materialin a short period of time when said fibrous material is dry whereby said fibrous material will become saturated with said liquid in a short interval of time.

6. Apparatus for moistening a sheet of paper, or the like, said apparatus comprising a roller engageable with the paper, ilbrous material for supplying liquid to the roller, a reservoir for the liquid, means normally pumping said liquid to said fibrous material to keep it saturated there'- with, and manually controlled means supplied with said liquid by said pumping means and adapted to supply an additional quantity of liquid to said brous material when it is dry whereby said brous material/will become saturated with saidliquid in a short interval of time.

7. Apparatus for moistening a sheet of paper, or the like, said apparatus comprising *9, roller i engageable with the paper, fibrous material for supplying liquid to the roller, a reservoir for the liquid from which said ilbrous material is supplied with the liquid, means supplied with liquid from said reservoir and adapted to store a quantity of it, and means for causing said storing means to discharge said liquid on said fibrous material whereby said brous material will become saturated with said liquid in a short interval of time.

8. Apparatus for moistening a sheet of paper, or the like, said apparatus including fibrous material through which the moistening liquidpasses, a reservoir from which liquid is supplied to said ilbrous material, means supplied with said liquid from said reservoir and adapted to store a quantity of it, and .manually operable means for causing said storing means to discharge said stored liquid on said brous material whereby said fibrous material will become saturated with said liquid in ashot interval of time.

9. Apparatus for moistening a sheet v'of paper,

or the like, said apparatus comprising a roller enn gageable with said sheet of paper to apply the liquid thereto, a receptacle adjacent said roller, fibrous material projecting from said receptacle to deliver liquid to said roller, means for delivering liquid to said receptacle to supply it'to said fibrous material,- a second receptacle disposed within the mst-mentioned receptacle, means for delivering liquid to said second receptacle, and means for discharging the contents of said second receptacle on said ibrous material.4

10. Apparatus for moistening a sheet of paper, or the like, said apparatus comprising a roller engageable with said sheet of paper to apply the -liquid thereto, a receptaclel adjacent said roller,

fibrous material projecting from said receptacle to deliver liquid to said roller, means for delivering liquid to said receptacle to supply it to said ibrous material, a second' receptacle disposed above said brous material, means for delivering liquid to said second receptacle, and means for discharging the contents of said second receptacle on said fibrous material in a short period of time whereby said brous material will become saturated quickly with said liquid. i

l1. In a duplicating machine, means for pressing copy sheets against a master sheet, means including brous material for moistening the copy sheets with a solvent, a receptacle for said solvent, means for delivering solvent to said :brous material from said receptacle, and a second means manually controlled for delivering solvent to said fibrous material from said receptacle and having greatly increased capacity for rapid delivery of solvent to said brous material as compared with said 'lrst named solvent delivery means.

l2. In a duplicating machine, means for pressing copy sheets against a master sheet having data imprinted thereon with ink, a roller for moistening the co'py sheets with a solvent for said ink, brous material engaging said roller to supply the solvent thereto, a reservoir for said solvent, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to said fibrous material, a container, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to said container, and means for discharging the contents of said container on said 'fibrous material.

13. In a duplicating machine, means for pressing copy sheets against a master sheet having data imprinted thereon with ink, a roller for moistening the copy sheets with a solvent for said ink, brous material engaging said roller to supply the solvent thereto, a reservoir for said solvent, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to said brous material, a container, means for pumping solvent from said reservoir to said container, means for discharging the contents oi said container on said brous material, and a second roller for pressing said copy sheets against the first mentioned roller.

ALFRED MARCHEV. 

